Dawn Of Thunder: Discontinuity Indefatigable
by Chaos Eternus
Summary: After the battle for Edonia nebula, the Destroyer Indefatigable was assigned to assist the Federation in containing Osiris and destroying her forces. These are her voyages.
1. Chapter 1

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus One**

_This is a rewrite of Discontinuity: Indefatigable and is part of the Dawn of Thunder series  
_

_I do not own nor do I claim ownership of characters and / or concepts contained within which are not original._

**

* * *

  
**

**One**

"This is a somewhat unprecedented situation,"

"Perhaps," Picard replied slowly, "perhaps not. We have found artefacts before capable of universal and temporal transferrals."

Grunting, Admiral Travers shook his head, "not on this scale."

Nodding, the Captain conceded the point, "You could fit several notable starbases through the opening."

Nodding, the Admiral leaned backwards in his seat, stroking his beard thoughtfully, "do you think this 'Osiris' is as much of a threat as these 'Tau'ri' make her out to be?"

"I suspect she is worse," He leaned forwards in his seat, "the Tau'ri are used to be in the position of having better training and ships that are at least equal to the capabilities of the Goa'ulds. They are trying to adapt their Intel analysis to our level of technology but whilst we have several advantages over the Goa'uld the sheer power of their weapons…"

"The reports of the _Ha'tak _ class ships blowing straight through the _Enterprises _ shields are a bit hard to swallow."

"They are accurate," Picard replied calmly, "but for all the power those weapons represent they do not have the adaptability of Federation weapons or shields."

"Or their crews," Travers noted.

"Quite,"

"There are many who are… uncertain over your decision to provide these Tau'ri with Impulse drives,"

Sighing, Picard leaned back in his seat thoughtfully; the tone of the response having told him quite clearly the Admiral was one of those 'uncertain' about his choice.

"It was not an easy choice," he replied finally, "I am still not sure it was the correct one myself but a decision had to be made. There was a clear and visible threat to the Federation which precluded destroying the _Enterprise _ and forming a settlement but the _Enterprise _was damaged enough to need major repairs. Those repairs and indeed, 'upgrades' were not going to come cheap.

I needed something the Tau'ri could use, that they would be able to manufacture and develop themselves and which they would consider worthy enough to cover the cost of our repairs and replacement stores.

The Impulse drives provided that without the issue the Warp drive would have had of providing them a major and obvious gateway to other technologies. They saw more of the other technologies aboard _Enterprise _ then I would wish as it is."

"Impulse drives are a technology that had been used as a bargaining chip in the past," Travers conceded, "but still, when the immediate danger is over, this will become a matter for a board of inquiry."

"I expected as much,"

"The main issue I have," the admiral mused, "is that they call themselves Tau'ri."

Picard blinked, "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"They define themselves around the Goa'uld, around being what the Goa'uld are not, they even use the enemies name for themselves,"

"That is troubling," he admitted, "but it is their choice."

"Yes," Travers sighed, "unfortunately it is."

* * *

Commander Ewing was not a happy Commander and to be honest, nor was much of his crew.

They volunteered because they knew the job had to be done, they knew Osiris had to be stopped in her tracks, she couldn't be allowed to raise the Goa'ulds particular brand of chaos on another universe.

But they didn't have to like it.

With the Intergate sealed, pending investigation into its effects on the dimensional walls they had no contact with home, no mail from family, no news of the war, and certainly no contact with anything they knew.

The universe they were in now was just depressing; it was everything they wished their universe was like. Humanities bad eggs largely weeded out, a united Earth that was protected by a strong military but one that seemed to be universally respected and admired.

A far cry from their Earth where they tended to be tolerated as something necessary but not particularly wanted with a visible minority that assumed military equalled rapists and murderers.

They saw little of that here, they saw a version of humanity that's had found its hope, its path and had seized it with both hands becoming something to be proud of. They had little hope of that, for this Earth first contact had meant hope, for them it had meant war, pain and suffering.

It didn't help that the Federation Admiralty appeared to have little idea of what to do with them, the crew had exhausted all the entertainment available in the Edonia region and were bored, fed up with just sitting around twiddling their thumbs whilst their officers were 'debriefed' by Starfleet Intelligence, searching not just for any and all information against the Goa'uld but on the Tau'ri themselves.

The Officers had gotten the impression somebody high up really didn't trust them, and the crew had picked up on it.

All in all, Ewing admitted to himself, it wasn't a good situation.

It didn't help that they had expected to be thrown straight into the fight, joined by a Federation/ Klingon Task Force as they moved straight onto Osiris, stopping her before she could really start to build up her forces, this delay was just playing into her hands.

No, Ewing was not happy at all, but he didn't see what he could do about it.

This wasn't his universe after all; he didn't know who to talk to to get things moving again.

Ewing pulled himself up from his slumped position in his Command Chair, but Picard would know…

"Powell, get me a channel to Captain Picard aboard the _Enterprise. _"

He should have done this a _long _ time ago.


	2. Chapter 2

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**Two**

Ewing glanced away from Picard, slightly annoyed as the bleeping of a priority message reached his ears. He tapped at the computer buried in his desk, quickly pulling up the internal IM window.

*Analysis Complete, one week to bubble collapse. Hailey*

Ewing grimaced, "well it's confirmed, we have one week and then we lose about 35% of our combat effectiveness. We need to move now before we lose the advantage over Osiris, the 'universal bubble' I'm told would have collapsed over her ships by now."

Picard raised a slightly surprised eyebrow, catching the odd tone in Ewing's voice, "You don't understand the Universal Bubble concept?"

Ewing shrugged, "Hailey's a good kid, knows what she is doing but she has not figured out how to explain advanced scientific concepts to those with minimal knowledge of the sciences. In fact, she tends to get borderline insubordinate if she tries."

Ewing candidly had to admit to himself that borderline didn't really apply, but for those who truly knew their jobs, you had to put up with a quirk or two.

Picard sighed, sipping at his Earl Grey tea; he wasn't letting it go cold. Not when it had been made from the leaves for him, instead of replicated like he was used too. The difference in taste was subtle, but it was there.

"It is a relatively simple concept. You cross universes; you bring a 'bubble' of your original universe with you. It acts as a cushion, protecting you from differences in universal constants and the like for a time but is constantly eroded by the host universe as, to the host universe, it is unnatural, a thing that should not exist. As soon as the bubble is overwhelmed by the host universe you have to rely solely on the rules governing the host universe."

Ewing rolled his eyes exasperated, "Now that I understood, why couldn't she have just said that instead of using five and six syllable words that go straight over my head?"

Picard snorted, unsuccessfully hiding it behind his cup of tea.

Ewing just shook his head, "right, so that explains why _Enterprise _was able to function in our universe despite the fact that many of her systems, according to our knowledge, albeit limited, of the universe around us suggests they shouldn't work. You're Phasers for one, though they didn't give to good a showing against the Goa'uld"

Ewing smiled sympathetically at Picard as he winced, but continued, "Replicators being the next obvious example, though they could in theory be reworked."

Picard grimaced, "If we had stayed much longer, we would have lost efficiency across the Board too, all our systems are designed with one set of physical constants in mind, as soon as the bubble vanished and they vanished, even those systems that still worked would have felt the effect."

Ewing placed his cup down on his desk, looking seriously at Picard, "Which is why we need to move now, whilst we still have the bubble to keep us fully operational. Osiris no longer has that benefit so we would have the advantage, you need to persuade Command to get off their arses and take that advantage, while its there!"

Picard paused, then, a sad look in his face, placed his Cup back down on Ewings desk.

"Command is trying their best but we have been losing ships left right and centre. We never got the chance to rebuild the fleet after the Dominion war before the Virogen crisis hit, not to mention all the ships and personnel we lost to Mirror Universe Infiltration before the we managed, mainly thanks to Preserver manipulation, to destroy the link that was holding the universes so close together" Picard grimaced, "And then theirs the Borg."

Ewing nodded what he had heard of this universe bogeymen had kept him from sleep for several nights. He had, up till then, doubted he could find anything worse then the Goa'uld but the Borg had managed to claim that pedestal.

It wasn't a comforting thought.

Picard glanced back at Ewing, " _Enterprise _ will take the lead of the Federation contingent when its starts to arrive tomorrow. The Klingons will start to arrive the day after along with small contingents from the Romulans and the Cardasians"

Ewing shot Picard a startled look, "I thought you didn't trust the Romulans?"

Picard nodded, "We don't really, but we have to get over that. We need them as allies; we want them as friends so we do need to get over our prejudices. Still, they still have a Secret Police force, the Tal'shar and that doesn't sit well with Federation sensibilities. At least the Cardassians ended theirs once they realised how much they were manipulated and controlled by them."

Picard sighed, his thoughts dark, troubled, "It took a war for them to realise that though."

Ewing nodded soberly, "Some lessons can not be learnt by being told them, some you have to learn only by experience."

"True," Picard nodded, his thoughts dark for a moment as he considered their own Section 31 and then rose, "I must return to my ship, Good Day Commander."

* * *

**CT-895-XC: Osiris Controlled System **

Osiris was pleased.

Her slaves had so far managed to add two _Ha'taks _ to her fleet with another two almost complete. More ships to add her in her quest for domination over this pathetic universe, to help her to her rightful place as God over all the lesser beings that infested this space.

Of course, the new vessels were not up to the standards of her Anubis enhanced ships, frankly she might use the technology but it was way beyond her and if she couldn't understand it, the so called 'scientists' from her slave population wouldn't have a chance.

The lack of certain minerals didn't help either, as yet she had found no Naquadah and trinium was very scarce. It meant using less resilient local materials and technologies, meaning less powerful ships.

It also meant she lost some of her 'toys', they just didn't want to operate in this universe which was a pity but she had managed to affect repairs to her ships that brought their effectiveness back to a somewhat normal level.

That was an unexpected consequence of being in a different universe, one she hadn't anticipated, though she would never let that be known, Gods knew everything after all. Different universe, subtly different rules.

Still, she had one advantage and one she would have to use if Anubis or Maktenos ever managed to seize the Intergate and come after her. She had some of this universes technology and she would soon move to acquire more.

She would have to be more careful this time though, her heavy handedness had lost her her first prize, the _Hermes _ had automatically destroyed itself because she had tried too hard, too often to breech its encryptions and get at all the secured data within.

Still, she had walked away with transporters that, whilst a little slow, actually worked in this universe. Those were already integrated into all her ships and she knew her 'scientists' would come up with more tricks from the little data transferred from the _Hermes _ first. They knew what would happen if they didn't after all.

Osiris grimaced inwardly, not allowing any sign of her inner thoughts to show where the Jaffa might see and wonder. She still had a problem, the number of Jaffa she had was dropping slowly, thanks to rebellions, riots and just plain disappearances. But with the increasing size of her fleet she needed more Jaffa not less, she couldn't afford to lose them like this and she certainly didn't like having slaves appearing as part of her ships crews. Not only was it repellent, slaves were not worthy of serving as crew, and could not be trusted that far, but it was also a sign of weakness.

Osiris straightened, her mind made up. She would seize another world, now. There was a world of primitives nearby that would see she was a true God, not blasphemously call her technologically advanced and inherently evil, she was a God! Gods by their very nature could not be evil.

Still, these primitives would make more pliant slaves and she would move those who had proven their loyalty to this new world. Then she would make an example of the old.

"Kree Jaffa!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**Three **

**Edonia Nebula**

It was a mighty taskforce that gathered just outside the writhing grasp of Edonia nebula, but one that Ewing knew he would most likely not see much of again, not after they made contact with Osiris.

The best and brightest of Starfleet, of the Klingon Empire, of the Romulans and of the Cardassians; they might be in the best warships this quadrant at least had available to it, but the weapons of the Goa'uld ships were fearsome. Even weakened by the slightly variant rules of this universe they would really hammer the shields of this universe.

Already, the crews of the taskforce were making hurried modifications to their ships, hooking up extra generators, running Level One diagnostics on all systems and shoring up their power relays and data networks. The smaller ships in particular feared the sheer force of the Goa'uld main guns hitting their shields could shock their power relays and data networks out of operation, a weakness that was known to most ships captains of this universe but one that wasn't usually an issue. Goa'uld weapons made it an issue. They wouldn't be losing individual power relays or couplings due to shock damage like they usually suffered in combat, something that could easily be bypassed and then repaired, they could potentially lose the works.

And a single direct hit on the hull, and they would be toast. They knew this, they had seen what had happened during the retaking of Edonia and it was a universally disliked fact, except amongst the Klingons who had decided that defeating such a superior enemy would be a supreme test of their honour and their prowess as warriors.

Still, the taskforce was preparing, just waiting for word from the cloaked ships searching the space around where _Hermes _ had disappeared that Osiris had been found.

Then, to quote Shakespeare, _Cry havoc, and let rip the dogs of War! _

* * *

The biggest logistical nightmare for the fleet was the fleet's biggest asset. _Indefatigable, _because the ship did not use warp drive or anything comparable and that meant the ship could not maintain formation or pace with the fleet that easily. Instead, they had to rely on a series of prepared rendezvous to ensure the fleet stayed together.

With this burden slowing the fleet down, it took 4 four days to reach the last known location of the _Hermes, _ from there they made quick time to the only star system in the area with the entire fleet at Red Alert the whole time.

And inside the system, they found the Jaffa.

* * *

"Captain, _Indefatigable _ confirms it's a Goa'uld ship, _Ha'tak _ class."

"Very well" Picard frowned, tapping quickly at a large button added to the side of the displays mounted onto his Command Chair, bringing up the interfleet communications channel, "All ships, this is Picard. Attack pattern Edonia-twelve."

With one eye on the viewscreen, showing the _Ha'tak, _Picard glanced at the tactical readout on his Command Chair displays, watching to see how well his orders were followed, how well the new attack pattern, carefully designed for use against the Goa'uld would fare.

The Romulans cloaked, joined swiftly by the Klingons and a lone federation warship, the icons for the cloaked ships flickering as they split into two groups then moved to flank the _Ha'tak _ as the federation ships split, keeping to a distance that would reduce the chances of a near miss on one ship hitting another yet still allow them to concentrate fire as needed. Usually they would be closing ranks, formatting tightly against an enemy, but not his time.

Picard was gratified to see the attack pattern followed almost flawlessly, but then the three Major races had had time to cooperate a lot during the Dominion war and the experience was showing. Speaking of the Dominion war… he glanced across the display and smiled as he noted the Cardassian formation hanging behind, their much smaller contingent, only ten ships, forming their sentry for this op, a screen to retreat behind should all go wrong, and to intercept any more Goa'uld ships that arrived, to give the main fleet time to reorganise for the new threat.

Picard grimaced, if either event came true then it would be a grim day for the Cardassian contingent but they had adapted their launchers to use the federation phase plasma torpedoes that had proven to be the only weapon from this universe that could tear through the Goa'uld shields so they would at least stand a chance.

And _Indefatigable, _she was right where she belonged, at _Enterprises _ side, the head of the formation, her icon on his screen showing clearly that she had her weapons hot, her missiles loaded and her shields up.

She was their hammer, with the assistance of the Alliance vessels she would be the one to destroy the Goa'uld, Picard had little doubt of that. She was after all designed for just this war, but even she couldn't do it alone. Hence, the fleet.

"Goa'uld vessel is manoeuvring, we've been spotted Captain."

Picard smiled, a little slower then expected. Good, it would help.

"Continue the charge."

"Why only one ship? I thought we had confirmed a mothership as well as several _Ha'taks? _"

Picard grimaced, "A good question, if the pysch profile the Tau'ri provided is correct, they are most likely enslaving another world and his is the picket they left behind"

Then, the time for idle chat was over.

"Incoming fire."

"Data, evasive pattern Picard-Twelve."

The fleet danced as it charged, its evasive manoeuvres barely slowing the fleet down as the Federation vessels dodged the bright lances of energy spitting malevolently from the Goa'uld vessel. At least one ship wasn't quite quick enough, the _Galaxy _ class USS _ Challenger _ breaking off, and retreating hurriedly as its shields vanished, abruptly blown away by a glancing hit.

Picard then smiled, as the Icon for _Indefatigable _shifted, the ship slipping sideways to place itself between the damaged federation warship and the _Ha'tak _ as the symbols representing her weapons began blinking, her Gauss rifles firing at a steadily ferocious rate. _Indefatigable _ took a direct hit, a bolt destined for the _Challenger _ but unlike the ships of this universe, she was able to just shrug it off, and continue the assault.

Then the Goa'uld figured out who and what she was and Picard could almost taste the moment they decided that the _Indefatigable _ was the biggest threat. No longer firing careful, somewhat aimed shots the _Ha'tak _just volleyed them, firing constantly at the Tau'ri Heavy Destroyer, ignoring the other vessels. That was their mistake.

_Indefatigable _ was constrained by the bulks of the nearby Federation vessels and couldn't manoeuvre as well as she normally could and it showed as blows that normally the nippy Tau'ri ship could just slip out of the way of, started landing on her shields. Even as her shields eroded, the fleet was getting into position and just one minute after _Challenger _ turned and fled, the bulk of the fleet decloaked and presented a classic, inescapable englobement to the _Ha'tak. _

For a moment, the fire from the _Ha'tak _ faltered, and Picard grimaced inwardly as the fire returned anew, vengeful, firing not on the _Indefatigable _ but on the decloaked vessels, attempting to force a path out.

He glanced across the display, taking everything in, assessing rapidly. It was time.

"Signal the fleet, on my mark, all ships will fire one Phase plasma torpedoes on the Goa'uld ship…. Mark!"

In a matter of instants, the entire armoured hull of the vessel vanished, melted and atomised by their fiery heat of the exploding plasma warheads, leaving only a burning, shattered hulk of a ship, its corridors and chambers clearly seen through the gulf of space.

Quickly, shields dropped and transporters activated, tearing any

Thing that showed signs of life from the Goa'uld vessel and dumping armoured engineering crews swiftly aboard, to loot for information, for technology before the ships reactor went critical.

Ten minutes later, the transporters hurriedly flashed out again, retrieving the engineers, then the fleet split, engines flashing brilliantly with contained energies as the vessels ran from the _Ha'tak _ and its overloading reactor.

But the Klingons didn't flee, instead they dodged behind the bulk of the only inhabited planet and began swift attacks on any Jaffa life signs they could detect, sending hunting parties down in droves for the few Jaffa co-ordinating the Goa'uld control of the CT895-XC system.

In the end, it took just half an hour from the fleet's arrival in the system for the place to become liberated and brought under alliance control.


	4. Chapter 4

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**Four**

Osiris was not happy.

The parasites that called themselves 'civilisations' in this universe had taken back the world she had conquered. Worse, they had destroyed the _Ha'tak _ she had left behind as a picket in the process.

They had reacted swiftly, too swiftly and in numbers great enough to be a real threat. If they attacked her main force directly, they would pay dearly in blood for the pain but they may just win and _that _ was unacceptable.

What was equally unacceptable was that they may well be able to see her fleet. The _Hermes _ may have been an older, less capable vessel, one overdue for replacement, but if she looked in the right direction, she would have been able to pick up her fleet from the next star system over.

The more modern, powerful vessels the primitives had gathered?

This required some thought.

No, it required some time, but time even these primates would know better then to give her. She would need to move away from this area of space, find some little travelled world to conquer and use as a springboard to take the galaxy, but where?

She grimaced, the enemy would know.

Perhaps she had best make them tell her.

It would require suitable bait of course…

* * *

Captain Picard grimaced, his eyes not betraying the glare he wished to send at all the pads scattered in overgrowing piles across his desk. Being captain of a ship provided him with paperwork enough, being Commodore of a battle group just added to it. But to be Commodore of a multinational taskforce… The dominion war may have been over for several years now, but there were _still _ Commodores being chased up for war era paperwork that they quite literally hadn't had a chance to complete.

Picard groaned, aloud this time, gaining a sympathetic smile from the petite Ensign who had just dumped another five pads on his desk. But no, he didn't just have the paperwork from a multinational taskforce to deal with, or at least those parts of it he couldn't delegate to somebody else, he also had to explain in terms so simple that even a bureaucrat could understand it, why their intervention at CT895-XC wasn't a prime directive violation, the inhabitants of the world not naturally having any interplanetary spaceflight capabilities, let alone intrasystem until Osiris had arrived. Indeed, their scientists only understood small parts of the technology that now littered their world and even that little meant that the damage was done.

Not, Picard privately admitted to himself, that certain Admirals would ever see it that away. But then, certain Admirals had their heads stuck so far up their asses they could see their own necks, from the inside.

Damn it, he needed to get away from this paperwork. It was putting him straight into one of his rare overly cynical moods.

"Come in" he shouted, a little exasperated as the door chimed.

"Good morning Cap…" Ewing's eyebrows shot straight up into his hairline, "please don't tell me you really have to fill this lot out?"

"Unfortunately yes, drink?"

"Tea please, strong and black" Ewing grimaced, reaching over to grab a PAD to glance at its contents. Smirking, he dropped the PAD onto the floor, "we have this organisation technique in the RSS, it's called the piles technique"

It was Picard's turn to raise his eyebrows, "the piles technique?"

"Yep," Ewing cheerfully reached into the mass of PADs and began sorting "you create five piles labelled Do Yesterday, Do Today, Dump on somebody else, Consider doing if you really have nothing else to do…" Ewing grimaced, looking to the entire world as if he had just steeped in something odious as he dropped the first PAD into pile five, "and consider doing when hell freezes over, maybe"

Picard hid a slight grin; he really should do all this but…

"Or as my Exec would call it, Reports needed yesterday, urgent reports; somebody else's problem, necessary but not urgent and bureaucratic bullshit"

"Nice as it is to see some if this vanishing, I don't think you cane here to help me with mount paperwork"

Chuckling slightly, Ewing nodded, "No, I didn't. My engineering chief wants permission to talk to yours about getting replacements for spares and ammo used fabricated"

"Granted" Picard didn't even need to think about that, "I'll tell LaForge to expect him"

"Thanks, and if you ever feel the needed for a brewed cup, not this" Ewing waved the offending mug of Tea about, "replicated junk, feel free to pop over"

"I will, thank you captain" Picard nodded, smiling amused at Captain Ewing's back as the Tau'ri officer walked jauntily out of the room.

It seemed even across different universes, some things were constant. Back in his _Challenger _ days, they had called it Red Alert, yellow alert, XO's problem, green alert or normal running and fire out a torpedo tube method of paperwork organisation. Picard smothered a chuckle as he picked up a PAD from the 'Do yesterday' pile. Yes. It was nice to know that some things never changed.

* * *

Picard grinned as the reports slowly filtered back in. It seemed they had one major advantage at least, despite the ability of Anubis's ships to detect cloaks; they couldn't detect any of this universes ship's if they were cloaked. _Defiant _ had hovered undiscovered over Osiris's ships whilst they hovered over the Intergate for hours, and now, the attacking vessels at CT-895-XC had not been detected unless they weren't cloaked and now a Romulan Warbird had passed right through Osiris's fleet at CT-897-XX without being detected.

Another advantage to the home team, and they need all they could.

Especially with Osiris's command ship to contend with.

Damn, but he had hoped the Tau'ri had exaggerated the capabilities, hell, the sheer size of the _Ral'tec _ class Motherships. Picard was worried, their fleet would suffer massive casualties taking that thing out, assuming they could separate her from the four _Ha'taks _ Osiris seemed to have left. If those _Ha'taks _ decided to join in the fun, he had no doubt that it would become a massacre, a rout of the Allied fleet.

Picard grimaced, they really needed to catch each of the _Ha'taks _ on their lonesome and destroy them one by one, then move onto the mothership, especially with their major advantage, the _Indefatigable _ now running at reduced capacity, the protection of her 'universal bubble' entirely gone.

Unfortunately, if Osiris decided to go on a rampage they would really be in trouble. She could destroy station after station; city after city if she decided to do that and the joint fleet would not be able to tell which planet she was moving on next. That was another thing Starfleet was very interested in, the Goa'uld drives still worked in this universe, indeed, _Indefatigable _ had reported that power usage by the drives was _down _ after a few modifications to account for the different rules of this universe.

And they couldn't be detected that easily by the Federation sensors…

Picard sighed, and then grimaced as the Red Alert sounded.

Striding swiftly across to the door, he stepped into the Bridge, a 'Report!' sounding from his lips.

"Captain, we've picked up what appears to be a _Ha'tak _class vessel approximately three hours away. She's transmitting a badly encrypted request for reinforcements to assist with an onboard mutiny."

"Interesting," he mused, then shook his head, "remind the picket their not expected to engage Goa'uld warships unless they truly believe they have the advantage and take us out, maximum warp."


	5. Chapter 5

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**_Five_**

"Fools," Osiris smirked as she watched the vessels flash into vision in bursts of light around the _Ha'tak _ she had set as bait, "do they really think they are the only ones with cloaks?"

"My Lady," the Jaffas tone was respectful but a touch smug, "we have picked up twenty-three energy bursts of the type associated with the enemies vessels drives, however only fifteen vessels are currently visible on sensors."

"Indeed," Osiris frowned, wondering at the relatively low number of ships. She was expecting more… then again, if they could only detect on _Ha'tak, _ this might be all they thought they needed. Yes, that made sense. Overconfidence on the part of her enemies was acceptable; they didn't understand they were dealing with a God after all.

"Order the _Al-kesh _ to engage," she replied, then leaned forward, pointing at a small ship, but one that looked tough and powerful. A definite warship, "and prepare to take that ship."

* * *

"Taking fire from the _Ha'tak," _

"Return fire," Picard ordered calmly, "boarding teams stand ready."

He grabbed onto the armrests of his chair as the ship rocked suddenly, "report!"

"New contacts," Data replied, "they appear to be Goa'uld _Al-kesh _ class bombers."

"Where did they come from?"

"They appear to have been cloaked,"

A chill settled into Picards stomach, then "all ships evasive! This may be an ambush."

His words came too late.

The four remaining Anubis _Ha'taks _ decloaked on the flank on the fleet, firing simultaneously on the IKS _Pagh, _shattering the vessel within moments before turning their fire onto a Romulan D'deridex whose shields had already been weakened by the _Al-kesh. _Even as that ship died, a group of eight _Al-kesh _were gathering around the USS _Bernard Montgomery, _firing with uncommon care on the vessels shields.

Two of the _Ha'taks _moved to assist those _Al-kesh, _firing upon any ship which looked likely to come to the destroyers aid, not firing to kill, but to drive away and taking any kills just as a welcome bonus.

The other two _Ha'taks _ turned their guns on the alliance fleet, firing with callous disregard for the lives of their own bombers, destroying three of their own _Al-kesh _ even as a Federation _Akira _ and a Cardassian _Hideki _ died whilst a Federation _Ambassador _ reeled off, short a nacelle.

An _Intrepid, _spilling shuttles and lifepods, turned towards the lone _Ha'tak _ in front of the fleet, one of the two Osiris had managed to build since arriving in this universe and began thrusting forwards.

Its intentions were not missed by the _Ha'tak _ but the vessel, far weaker and less strongly built then the vessels brought over through the Intergate was already severely damaged. Its weapons fire killed the engines of the _Intrepid _ but not it's structural integrity or its momentum and a mere thirty seconds before impact, _Udajeet, Tel'tacs _and a small handful of _Al-kesh _began to stream from the hull, making their careful way to the other _Ha'taks _ of the fleet.

The Federation ship impacted then died, the catastrophic failure of its warp core shattering the _Ha'tak, _killing the bulk of its crew and destroying a good proportion of those that had already fled the ship including the bulk of the _Udajeet _ fighters.

With their front secured, the alliance fleet had an easier time of turning to face the four _Ha'taks _ on their flank. A _Defiant, _the _Pegasus _ and a _Galaxy, _the _Emissary _ had other ideas however and raced towards the convoy of ships fleeing the destroyed _Ha'tak, _capturing several _Udajeet _ intact before the _Al-kesh _arrived to try and drive them off.

A second _Ha'tak _ died with its shields still raised as a full volley of the rare phase-plasma torpedoes shattered its hull armour, digging their way straight into a Naquadah storage room.

The two ships engaging the escaping convoy also volleyed off a spread of phase plasmas, destroying three of the _Al-kesh _ and leaving the fourth a lifeless hulk. They then turned their attention to the _Tel'tacs _ who promptly fled to hyperspace. With no immediate threat remaining to them, the _Pegasus _moved to rejoin the fleet whilst the _Emissary _continued its salvage operations.

A second _Ambassador _ reeled out of battle, a smoking hole where the bridge used to be then the _Al-kesh _ in amongst the fleet vanished, escaping swiftly into hyperspace. They were joined swiftly by six of the eight _Al-kesh _that had gathered around the USS _Bernard Montgomery _, the three surviving _Ha'taks _ and the USS _Montgomery _herself, towed by the _Ha'taks. _

* * *

"That was a colossal mistake," Picard growled.

"The Goa'uld may be arrogant and _often _ stupid," Captain Ewing sighed, "but often stupid is not the same thing as always stupid."

"It was a classic ambush," he admitted grudgingly, "and I fell straight for it. I should have remembered the Goa'uld have cloaking abilities of their own."

"Maybe," the Tau'ri Captain shook his head, "maybe not. Either way, next time you go on a strike mission I would strongly advise you take _Indefatigable _with you. We can not help tied up to a stardock."

"The information you have provided us…" Picard paused then shook his head, dismissing his own words, "you're right and I will know better then to pay attention to those alliance elements that don't trust you or want to prove we can do this without the _Indefatigable _ in future."

"Doesn't help us deal with the _Montgomery __." _

"No," Picard frowned, "but that appears to have been the entire point of the mission, capture a more modern and capable vessel."

"Which they did," Ewing noted, "and most likely, most of the crew as well."

"All we need to know is exactly where the _Bernard Montgomery _ is and we can trigger her self-destruct remotely," Ewing's eyebrows shot up into her hairline at that but he refrained from comment, "but the issue will be finding the ship."

"And finding Osiris," he replied, "if I know Goa'ulds she is going to ground. Hiding out whilst she builds up her forces ready for a further attack."

"An attack which she will carry out using reverse engineered Federation technology," Picard growled.

He got a nod in return, "which is a good thing. You know how to deal with Federation technology, but if she is having difficulties replacing Goa'uld tech, which from the new build _Ha'tak _we saw seems likely then…"

"Then the playing field will be evened," the _Enterprise _ Captain shot forwards in his seat, a tight smile on his face, "more then, given the technology samples the _Emissary _ managed to obtain."

"Exactly," Ewing noted, "the issue will be time. I suspect we will not hear of Osiris again for months, possibly years."

Grimacing, Picard leaned backwards in his seat, "and when she does reappear?"

"Then I would expect it to be a battle she thinks she can win," he shrugged, "not a time and place of our choosing. The longer she takes to reappear though, the more worried I would be about her being… very direct."

Stilling, Picard glanced over the rim of his mug, "Earth?"

"That would appeal to her in far too many ways," he sighed, "but there is no world in the alliance that is not at risk right now."


	6. Chapter 6

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**_Six _**

**A month Later**

**_Six _**

**A month Later…**

"You are truly a God!"

Ah, the words she truly wished to hear. Now, she had her tools. Primitive tools certainly and circumstances ensured she would have to given them more knowledge then was perhaps safe, but her supply of Jaffa was not unlimited.

They were irritated at her for bolstering their ranks with inferiors but with the Jaffa being kept above the slaves she doubted it would go beyond grumbles in the barracks and if it did, why then she would just have to initiate a purge.

She may need the Jaffa but not to the point where she couldn't afford to lose a few to make the point.

Still, she had the Tau'ri ship, this ' Montgomery ' and about a third of her crew. Whilst they were proving more difficult to break then the usual rabble, they _were _ breaking and already her Jaffa were being taught how to utilise these Earthers technology whilst her scientists were gaining far more.

She would have to adapt the design of the _Ha'taks _ again, perhaps even introduce some new ship classes to get better usage out of the weaker technologies of this universe, at least until she could figure out how to adapt the normal pulse canon technology to this place, but this was all a matter of time.

Time.

She should have that, her location had been chosen quite carefully after all and she did already have her spies worming their way into the nearest planets and bases. Soon, she should have agents in their military. They was trickier of course, but her agents were well motivated, just ask their families.

It all boiled down to time, but she was used to that. It took time to replace warriors, time to build ships, prepare alliances. It took time to wage war, and then.

Then she would have all the time in the world.

A flash in the skies above caught her eyes and her eyes widened with surprise as night turned to day for a moment. Then all the devices and screens around her went dead for a precious few seconds before slowly coming back online.

Eyes wide with fury, she glared at the spot she knew had once held the _Bernard Montgomery _ and trembled with fury.

* * *

"We may have caught a break," Picard noted, striding swiftly across the line which marked the border between _Indefatigable _ and Starbase Thirty-one.

"Oh?" Ewing asked, nodding a welcome as he led the Captain deeper into the ship.

"A Romulan scout picked up an anti-proton flushback surge which appeared to be from a Federation warp-core on the far end of the Federation Romulan border. The surge occurred in a system interdicted under the Prime Directive."

"Fits," he mused, "if we're talking about a particularly primitive species."

"Humans," the Enterprise Captain noted dryly as he was led into the ships briefing room, "we suspect a preserver colony given their distinctly Roman leanings but proving that can often be difficult even when the group in question has advanced far enough for the Prime Directive not to apply."

"Which doesn't apply in this instance," Ewing noted, "and if that was the _Bernard Montgomery _then Osiris may well have fled the scene. She's arrogant but that doesn't always override her intelligence. Given that she seems to have decided she needs time before she can 'prove' herself...

Yes, I would bet she has fled."

"I don't doubt it," Picard noted, "but it will be several hours before we receive the report from the scout. In the meantime, we need to decide how we are going to react."

"I doubt she's there... if she is, then we need to monitor and quietly move as many ships into the area as possible then move in," he shrugged, "if she has been there and moved on, then it's in the hands of the scouts again. If it was something else, well... At the moment, this seems to change nothing."

"Agreed," came the swift reply, "and you're thought mirror mine on that, but that still leaves us the main issue. How do we destroy Osiris's fleet?"

"Perhaps a better question would be, how do we stop her fleet growing?" Ewing replied dryly, "that's an even bigger issue. She should not have been able to build the number of ships we have seen in the time she has had available to her, let alone crew them."

"We can build smaller ships in a month," Picard frowned, "but that is with the full facilities of places like the Antares Yards or Utopia Planetia. I see your point."

" _Ha'tak _ class ships are usually built on planetary surfaces and by the Jaffa that crew them," a grunt of discontent came from the Tau'ri Captain, "they get away with that simply because the ships can overpower through the atmosphere and into space, no subtlety at all. Their new ships don't have that level of power."

"Not that we have witnessed," he acknowledged, accepting with a grateful smile the cup of tea that was handed to him, "and that also brings up the issue of crew. In order to support that many ships they have to be spreading the Jaffa out and for the time being at least, the conscripted crewmembers won't be anywhere near as capable as the Jaffa ."

"The scientists she has conscripted and those Starfleet crewmembers she had broken will help there," Picard winced at this, but made a tight nod of agreement, "but there may be issues trusting them. If that was the _Bernard Montgomery _ that blew then the question is why? That was Osiris's biggest prize, I doubt she was going to be careless with her."

"The crew?"

"Possibly," Ewing noted, "certainly I tend to think so. The right crewperson in the right place..."

"Auto-destruct takes at least three... but if one of the ships senior engineers wanted the ship gone..."

"Then the auto-destruct would not have been necessary."

"Quite," the Starfleet Captain sighed, "but that still leaves the issue of how Osiris is building and crewing ships so fast."

"I have a few ideas there,"

"Oh?"

"First, the fighters, the _Udajeet. _ That last engagement.... well, I have seen your reports and by your standards, there do seem to have been a lot of fighters involved, but by Goa'uld _Ha'tak _ standards, there wasn't that many at all."

"Their crews have been diverted." Picard mused.

"She has to maximise the use of the crew she has, and the _Udajeet _ are obsolete now even by Goa'uld standards." Ewing explained, "Given the pin-point accuracy of the local targeting systems, they are just sitting ducks. The _Al-kesh _ are a different matter, shielded or cloaked, they are very much still useful, but the _Udajeet _ are not."

"Do you think she is likely to upgrade or replace those _Udajeet? _"

"It's certainly possible, she has access to the bulk of Anubis's technologies and he certainly had more modern and capable designs. We haven't seen many of those since she came through the gate and that's interesting. It could mean she doesn't have any… but it could also mean she's keeping them in reserve or has found other uses for them."

"Supporting agents and infiltrators," Picard grimaced at the nod of confirmation, "Starfleet Intelligence is working on that but frankly, it's a damn big galaxy. There is no way we are going to be able to check everywhere just within the borders of the Federation, let alone our allies and the non-aligned races."

"That has always been our blessing and our curse as well," he replied, "but that I have to leave in your hands for the most part. As far as construction capability goes, it's not uncommon for _Ha'taks _ to have some onboard construction capability. At the very least, they usually have the capability to replace _Udajeet _ fighters.

The ability to build _Al-Kesh _bombers and even _Tel-tac _ transports isn't uncommon either, but some _Ha'taks _, and we're talking about 1 in every 40 or so, can support the construction of full warships from start to finish."

Leaning backwards in his seat with a dismayed frown, the Captain of the Enterprise considered this for a moment, "you think at least one of Osiris's ships might have this capability?"

"The circumstantial evidence seems to support it," Ewing noted, "but there is also a joker in the deck, the _Rel'tec. _"

This was considered for a moment then with a sigh, "you don't know what construction capabilities she has."

"We can presume and infer she can build at least _Tel'tecs, Al-kesh _ and the like," he shrugged, "beyond that? We have never had a chance to properly examine an operational _Rel'tec, _not even a Free Jaffa one. I was hearing rumours when we left that an abandoned _Cheops _ may have been spotted by a MALP probe but beyond that…"

"What do you think would be the biggest bar to new construction on Osiris's part?" Picard asked after a few moments.

"Trinium," Ewing replied promptly, "the Naquadah generators she can replace with anti-matter reactors, there are technologies she can use for everything from weapons to producing small parts but trinium seems to have no real analogue. The complex honeycomb of materials and structural integrity force fields in use by most in this galaxy instead she may be able to duplicate in time, but she isn't going to hit the capability and strength of a _Sovereign _ hull in a hurry and even that isn't as weapons fire resistant as a trinium armoured hull."

"Small mercies," he noted dryly in reply, "but whilst we've proven we can destroy the _Ha'taks, _that _Rel'tec _is going to be the problem."

"If Anubis has fully modernised it," came the quiet reply, "then a single full strength salvo from the maximum number of batteries that can reasonably be brought to bear, which is usually about a third, would instantly turn _Indefatigable _ into a mission kill. We have had to deal with such ships in the past and usually they divide their fire too much to instant kill our ships or they haven't been fully modernised, but the capability exists."

"Merde," Picard noted, as he contemplated exactly what that meant for Starfleet ships.


	7. Chapter 7

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**_Seven_**

"We need to buy time," Osiris mused, "but how?"

The Jaffa around her stayed respectfully and more then a little fearfully quiet, knowing better then to disturb their God when she was thinking.

"It would be better if they were distracted, but the other local groups seem to have noted how the enemies of the past now work together and seem to be wary of waking the beasts. Our agents work to separate them, but that will take time and may well fail. We need to distract them now…."

"Milady," Osiris shot her current First Prime a deathly glare, "there is a tactic beloved of the Tau'ri which might apply here…"

* * *

"One more day of loneliness…" Captain Tu'pel looked up at the dry comment, one eyebrow rising as he watched his human XO walk onto the Command Deck, the turbolift door closing with a mildly irritating wheeze behind her.

"Hardly," he noted, "we have seven ships scheduled to dock today."

"Almost a record," she noted, "any of them Starfleet?"

"Three," he stated, rising swiftly from his seat, "the _ Icarus, _inbound for resupply, _Grissom _of the Corp of Engineers, doing a crew changeover before proceeding to _Edonia, _and the _Apache, _which is to be our new support ship."

"What happened to the _Repulse? _" the Commander noted as she took over the Command chair.

"Unknown, but I would surmise ongoing events have forced her to be diverted,"

"Probably true," grimacing, she tapped at the screens then sighed, "a _Cheyenne _ class? Well it's better then nothing I…"

She broke of abruptly as the station rocked. It was slight, almost imperceptible, but to someone who had served aboard the massive if somewhat aging Starbase for six years, it was very definitely there.

Whipping her head around to face the ops console, she barked, "report!"

"Unknown, some sort of special anomaly," came the swift, startled reply, "computer is identifying it as a Hyperspace Portal but it's a type I've not come across before."

_"Shields!" _There was a voice screaming, Tu'pel would have been surprised and a little ashamed to realize it was his.

He didn't get the chance however.

* * *

"There were almost seven thousand people aboard that station," Picard noted hoarsely.

Ewing just nodded; his image pixalating for a moment as the ships computers struggled with the connection between the two disparate technologies, "it is not unexpected. The Goa'uld do like to destroy what they can not control and fear, the different drive system makes it very difficult for you to track them once they have struck and it damages Starfleet, forcing you to divert resources. It's almost logically, cruelly so."

"Still…"

"This is a race that has no difficulty with depopulating entire worlds," he replied, "an orbital station would appeal on some many levels as a valid target. Like it or not, you're vulnerable to this kind of raid using hyperspace drives."

"That we just learnt," Picard replied, "we need a defence against this."

"We have some ability to detect ships in hyperspace but it is not perfect. I can have my engineers talk to yours about modifying Starfleet sensors but that will mean both of us getting a look at the others sensors technologies."

He got a grimace in response, "I don't see that we have much choice."

The _Indefatigable _ Captain nodded in response, "our best option would be to simply destroy Osiris's remaining ships, but therein lays the rub."

"Finding them. Then, the _Rel'tec _." Picard didn't say any more, he didn't need too.

"Can your ships fire at warp?" Ewing replied after a few moments.

"Yes," this was considered for a moment, "if you are talking about firing upon Goa'uld ships at sub-light whilst a warp, effectively strafing them, its possible though tricky. You would need a good crew to do significant damage."

"What about beaming?"

"Crew or objects?"

"Both, either!" he noted with a grimace, "we can beam when STL but FTL… forget it. Dangerous and currently impractical."

"It's been done," Picard admitted, "beaming ship to ship whilst at warp requires matched or very nearly matched velocities. Beaming from a ship at warp to a ship that's not… if it's been done I've not heard of it. The closest would be dropping out of warp just long enough to beam then… I believe the Tau'ri venicular would be 'legging it'."

Ewing smiled at this, "quite… and depending on the reaction time of the target, you may well be able to get away with it."

"If you know where your target is and where to place the crew or 'object' you're beaming," he mused, "if your targets shields are down and you have an object capable of being beamed."

"Capable?"

"Anti-matter," Picard replied swiftly, "you lose containment whilst beaming…"

He got a wince in response to that, "it is a thought though. If we can catch the enemy off-guard, particularly that _Ha'tak, _maybe cobble together some more nukes."

" _Intrepids _ carry Tri-cobalt devices," Picard mused, "as do several other of the newer classes and they can be beamed."

_" Enterprise ? _"

He shook his head, "I had ours exchanged for more Phase-plasma torpedoes."

"What I might suggest," Ewing shook his head, "is that an order goes out that shields are to go up the instant a hyperspace portal is detected."

"Agreed, but that might well be sticking a finger in the dyke. If it's the _Rel'tec _ Osiris is using for her raids…"

"If its not, then it may well be enough to save some lives if not aboard the station or base itself, among the ships in the area that might get extra time to flee," he countered, " _Apache _ may have caught the afterglow of the hyperspace portal on her sensors but that's not enough to tell us what ship class caused it. Doubly so with the interference caused by the destruction of Starbase 21."

"I'll make the suggestion certainly," Picard noted, "but our fundamental issue remains, finding the enemy."

"True," Ewing noted, "but even if we do find them, we have to be able to keep track of Osiris long enough to amass a strong enough assault force. The fact we you also have to consider internal defence against these raids doesn't help either."

"As always, the issue is not enough ships, not enough crews."

"Something we Tau'ri are all too familiar with," came the dry reply.


	8. Chapter 8

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**_Eight _**

_A month later. _

When Picard walked onto his bridge, it took Ewing mere moments to realise there had been another raid. The expression on the Starfleet Captains face truly said it all.

"How bad?"

"We lost half the San Francisco Fleet Yards."

"Fuck," Ewing replied, grimacing. Then, his eyes widened, "aren't they in Earth orbit?"

"Quite," Picard replied wearily, "seven docks completely destroyed, five more severely damaged plus the ships that were in them. The orbital office complex was…"

Picard shook his head and needed to say or do no more, "how many?"

"Too many," came the grim reply, "mainly civilians. The two _Ha'taks, _both originals not new construction were manoeuvring to commence a surface bombardment of San Francisco when the fleet arrived, having used Earth's bulk to hide their approach from the asteroid belt. The Goa'uld were driven off, but not before destroying three more ships and crippling another seven."

"That's not sustainable," Ewing replied grimly.

"Indeed not," Picard replied, "the only bright spot is that the one _Ha'tak _ was crippled and had to be assisted into hyperspace. The _Akagi _ appears to have gotten a lucky hit in the region of her launch bays."

"We need an edge,"

"We may have one,"

"Oh?" Ewing asked, curious.

"When the _Ha'tak's _arrived, they dropped straight into a training squadron of _Peregrines _ from the academy. Two thirds of the squadron was destroyed, the rest jumped straight to warp and managed to escape however post-battle analysis suggests one of the destroyed _Peregrines _ fired a probe into the hyperspace portal as it opened."

"Damn," he considered this for a moment, "not likely to help much. It's possible the entire length of the hyperspace tunnel was still open but unlikely, not because it's wasteful of energy but because that's not the way the Goa'uld tend to do things and they can be quite set in their ways. If it was open all the way, if the Goa'uld ships jumped straight from Osiris's base, if we can pick up the signal from the probe…"

"Then we may have a location for Osiris's base,"

"We may also have an ambush,"

"True," Picard replied, conceding the point, "that is always a risk. There are certainly ways to mitigate or reduce that risk especially as we have Romulan and Klingon support and both use cloaks."

"Osiris can pick up cloaks," Ewing noted then nodded, "but they still reduce the range at which the cloaked ship can be detected, with a canny Captain willing to use the environment to its fullest…"

"Indeed,"

"It's not much of a chance,"

"No, it's not," he conceded, "but we do have another. It's just not as much of an advantage as it could be."

Ewing frowned at Picard's direct look, " _Indefatigable…" _

"Quite, the truth of the matter is that while your weapons are far more capable of damaging the Goa'uld shields and your shields are stronger against Goa'uld weapons, in sub-light you are out-paced, out-accelerated and straight out-manoeuvred by the sheer bulk of the ships of the Federation and allied fleets."

This was considered for a moment then a tight smile crept onto Ewing 's face, "oh?"

"The replacement of _Indefatigable's _ existing STL drives with Impulse drives has been authorised directly by the Federation President as well as a few other modifications. It won't take you up to the full capabilities of a Federation ship in slower then light, I'm afraid the _Dauntless _ class isn't designed for the stresses that would place upon the frame but it will bring you closer to parity.

"Should be interesting," he conceded with a wry grin.

* * *

She wanted to scream, to curse, to kill the Jaffa who had failed her.

She couldn't afford to. She couldn't replace them, there were no more Jaffa , and for all they had failed in their main objective of punishing Earth itself for the continued interference of the humans and their lackeys, they had damaged the enemy's ability to rebuild and maintain their fleets.

Thousands had still been killed and whilst one of her _Ha'taks _would need many resources to repair, no ship had been lost. That in itself was critical, as much as it pained her to admit, they had made the correct choice in fleeing as soon as the one ship was crippled, it was too vital for her future objectives that all her modern, more capable ships remained available to her.

They had failed… but not entirely.

They would have to be punished, but they could not be killed.

It was maddening. The only truly appropriate punishment for failure was death but she couldn't afford to carry out that punishment. She was too… weak to afford it.

Weak.

This was no state for a God to be in!

Yet, this was how it was and it was it the first time for her either. She couldn't afford to be attacked right now and with only three of her original ships still operational plus just one she had built in this universe…

Defending her base and maintaining her raids was tricky.

She could use more _Al-kesh _ but those required crews that were more skilled then the main even though fewer were required.

Then again, if she wasn't in a position to attack, perhaps there were others who were.

Her eyes narrowed, then widened and she allowed an evil smirk to cross her face as she turned her attention to the reports from her spies. A group as corrupt as the Federation had to have some enemies she could use…

What they asked, it was a lot.

What they offered, was it enough to make it worthwhile?

It wasn't as if he had any love for the Federation or their puppets, but they could be dangerous when aroused. In time, they would certainly realize his involvement and then his little empire would be in jeopardy.

But would they get that time?

They were already weakened, the Borg, the Dominion War, and this new threat… this potential new windfall.

Big risk but gloriously rich reward.

He would have to risk his tools within the ranks of the Federation and tools such as these would be difficult to replace if this should not work out, plus there was always the risk that they weren't truly his tools.

Risk.

Reward.

He would meet them again, learn more. Discuss this 'Nish'ta' they were offering to demonstrate as well. If it was truly as they described, it could indeed be quite valuable to him.

Otherwise… well, it would be no skin of his noses if they failed to survive the meeting.


	9. Chapter 9

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**_Nine_**

"Do you really think that is a coincidence?" Ewing asked carefully, his eyes for once on the person in front of him, not on the darkened shape of the _Indefatigable _ just visible through the window behind his desk.

"No," Admiral Travers sighed, "at the end of the war, Cardassia and the Dominion both surrendered and in the case of the Dominion is now in the middle of some nasty infighting triggered by the return of Odo to their Great Link but the Breen… they just retreated back behind their own borders. We haven't heard much from them since."

"Worrying,"

"A enemy that doesn't concede the war is over…"

He got a sign in response, "Is just waiting for opportunity to restart it. Osiris is providing the opportunity."

Travers nodded, "the Klingons have a few agents inside the Breen military and they are getting indications that it might be more then just opportunity Osiris is giving them, but that isn't the only joker in the deck. Starfleet Intelligence has confirmed a bounty has been placed upon the crew of the _Indefatigable _and on the ship itself. Quite a significant one at that."

Ewing frowned, "can she afford that?"

The admiral shrugged, "she hasn't offered much in the way of cash, what she has offered is technologies…"

The Captain groaned, "which means we don't just have to worry about individuals or small groups but quite possible 'rogue' governments as well."

"Unfortunately so, and as a result, I am afraid we will be increasing the security around the _Indefatigable. _"

"Understandable," Ewing noted, "Irritating but necessary. If we could be in space…"

"I am not too happy with having to uprate your ship in this fashion but I do have to admit the necessity," he shrugged, "still, Admiral Scott has decided to oversee the works himself now and frankly, I can't think of a single person more capable."

"Maybe," he conceded, turning around in his seat to face his command, wrapped as it was in the shape of a Starfleet drydock, "but still… and worst of it is, I don't even know how things are shaping back home. That simple lack of knowledge is causing more to erode morale then anything else."

Travers considered this for a moment, then sighed unhappily, "I know you want the gate opened, but I'm afraid I can't authorise that at this time. Frankly, that thing scares me and we don't really know anywhere near enough to operate it safely."

"You will have to at some point, if only to get _Valiant _back and allow us to return. In either case…" Ewing shrugged then continued dryly, "the mass exchange of technologies and information you're really worried about _will _happen."

He got a wince in response and a tight nod in worry of the hit, "but you've exchanged technologies before, so what makes you so worried about us?"

"I've studied our Earth's history," Travers replied slowly, "I know what we were like at that time in our history and frankly, whilst you don't seem to have an 'Optimal' movement, you certainly have demons of your own. If I came to Earth at that time from the outside, I certainly would be worried about the result of the Federations technologies coming into Earths hands. So far, you haven't persuaded me that Earth as a whole is worthy of the trust providing technologies require."

"And necessity makes devils of us all," mused the Captain.

"Quite,"

"There is only one true answer to that I suppose," Ewing noted, "and that is… time will tell."

Nodding acknowledgement, the Starfleet admiral strode from the room, leaving the Captain to his thoughts as he gazed upon the darkened form of his ship.

* * *

She was pleased.

For the moment at least, her enemies seemed unable to find her. They cowered in their ships and stations and died one by one as her warships slowly stripped them of the bases and worse but they did not attack.

Fools.

Still… she must not get too cocky, as hard as that might be. She had been found before, several times and each time had resulted in her retreating, not the enemy. Yes, they paid heavily for attacking their God but she still retreated and that meant they won.

The day would come when she would be able to make them pay dearly for that, already she was taking down payments on her revenge, but the time would come.

She would need far more ships, far more slaves though. The enemy outnumbered by far too great a margin for her to take them lightly. That advantage needed to be reduced. Her _Ha'taks _ were showing great success in that regard with their raids but a station here, a group of warships there wasn't going to win the war, just make it easier.

Of course, the raid on Earth had been the most successful so far in many ways but even so, it showed the dangers of being _too _ bold. She had almost lost one of her prime ships in that attack and she couldn't afford their loss. The vessels being built in this place were weaker compared to those she had brought through.

Of course, the ships she had been granted by Anubis weren't as strong as they could be either, the rules of this place were different in enough subtle ways to make sure of that but they were still far greater then the enemies ships, not to mention, those she had built here.

That would change in time, and maybe one day she would be able to seize the Intergate, deal with Anubis and become the Overgod of that dimension too.

And just wasn't that a delightful thought?


	10. Chapter 10

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable  
by chaos_eternus **

**_Ten_**

This wasn't her usual work. Jobs such as this, well, command had specialists in just such a task. They had to given all they were doing to drain the enemy of resources, but then; they didn't exactly have access to command, not in this place.

Maybe one day that would change, but for now they still had the enemy.

Still had their duty.

It pained her to pretend to be a slave, pretend to be one of the broken, loyal masses but the plan required it. This wasn't a task were they could sneak in via the gate; they weren't any gates in this place. Least, none they had discovered so far.

It was tricky too, some of these were part of her team; some were not. Of the other slaves, some would help, some would refuse to get involved and some… some were truly loyal to Osiris; curse her to the gates of hell.

They didn't know which were truly which, neither could they trust appearances. Their task required secrecy; it required absolute trust in her companions and absolute distrust in everyone else.

This was not something she was used to. Infiltration was not something she had been trained for and yet… the Tau'ri knew far more of Goa'uld technologies then any of the other races in this place. It would be up to the agents of this place to seize their prize, but once seized, it would be up to her to _command _ it.

Which sucked, Warrant Officers should _not _ get to command multi-megatonne warships!

A hand dropped on her shoulder broke her from her thoughts and she stiffened in fear, drawing at tight breath as she caught sight of the armour at her side.

Then at the look she was being given. Please _no… _

"This one will do for my 'prize'," came the declaration and inside her something withered and died at the thought of what was to happen. Osiris chose to reward only a few and the results for the prize she had seen before.

Better dead then that.

Still, it would likely mean she would be alone with him at some point. She would have to kill him herself if she could and then ensure she didn't survive to compromise the mission. Even for the mission, her duty, she wouldn't accept what was to happen.

Good, they were alone now. She would have to make her move very soon.

"Warrant Officer Dukes, it is good to see you again."

He had a knife in a belt pouch, if she could just…

Wait…

_What _ did he just say?

* * *

Osiris watched with a smirk as the _Ha'tak _ rose, the rumble of its engines filling the air with its power as the ship left. It had its task, a task most fitting. The Federation had earned much of her wrath so far, the others, these 'Cardassians', 'Klingons' and 'Romulans' suffering relatively minor pinpricks in comparison. That was to end here and now.

They made themselves her enemies, they defied their God and for that they would be punished. Perhaps not as severely at this time as she would wish, but still, they would pay.

The Klingons largest shipyard was just the perfect place to start and three _Ha'taks, _two originals and one new should be more then enough force for the job.

If not, she would want to know why.

* * *

An explosion rocked the station, and Ewing glared at the monitor, cursing his uselessness at being trapped within the bowels of the station whilst around him, fighting broke out and filled the solar system. Fighting from without at first; the Breen ships and their various allies taking a heavy pounding from the system picket, the defences of the various stations and anything else that could be brought to bear.

And fighting from within, as apparently preplaced infiltration teams set to work with devastating surprise and efficiency. Efficiency that made him wonder far too much. Still, it would be for Starfleet Security and Intelligence to decide if they had been aided or not.

He should be out their, helping defend the Earth! Okay, it wasn't his Earth but it was still an Earth and for all their occasional arrogance and superciliousness, they were still friends. The fact that it would reduce _Indefatigable's _ vulnerability to the intruders on the station was just a bonus.

Still…

The door rumbled open and Ewings hand darted towards the pistol on his desk, then he relaxed and smiled, recognising the security officer at the door.

But not the predatory look on his face.

His hand darted for the gun again, even as he desperately threw himself to one side; he tasted the ozone in the air at the very close miss even as he raised his own weapon.

The two fired simultaneously.

* * *

Two more shots were fired simultaneously, and Dukes held herself back, grimacing as she nervously fingered the zat in her hands.

The others, the ones from Starfleet Intelligence hadn't approved of the slight change in plans. They didn't trust that the few Jaffa she had gathered… or more honestly, had identified themselves to her were truly on their side.

They couldn't afford that trust and if she was to be honest, she didn't blame them for that, but the Jaffa warrior, actually Tec'on of the Free Jaffa, had known too many things. At the very least, she had certainly been on Alpha Prime for training the same time she had and that had to be good enough for her.

Let the agents of the Free Jaffa take the lead in the assault, the other Jaffa would hesitate, not realizing they were under attack and they may be all the edge they needed. It wasn't as if storming the bridge was her speciality anyway.

She was a naval officer, not a damned Seal!

She would have more then enough to do in a moment as it was, they had taken far too much time preparing for this, gathering their numbers together and in mere moments, the assault ordered by Osiris would begin.

At which point, they would risk being destroyed by their own allies and that would not be funny at all.


	11. Chapter 11

**Discontinuity: Indefatigable**  
**by chaos_eternus ******

**_Eleven_**

"The bridge is clear,"

She smiled with relief, nodding acknowledgement as she rose to her feet, and strode swiftly, nervously into the room.

"How long until we arrive?"

"Mere moments, and fighting still continues throughout the rest of the ship."

"Okay," she sighed, "and our allies need to know which ship we are on."

"That is correct,"

"Should we announce our presence with our guns?"

Tec'on considered this a moment, "We are weakened right now. I would suggest going against the Anubis _Ha'tak _ in this state."

"Then we should turn our guns on the weaker _Ha'tak _?"

"Indeed,"

"Then do so," Dukes commanded.

* * *

Ewing knew pain, knew it in far more of an intimate manner then he would like. Pain to a certain extent came with life and even more so with service. An increased incidence of pain was an unfortunate and inevitable side-effect of putting yourself into the line of fire in the name of Duty, of Service.

It was a reminder above all else that, for the moment at least, you were still alive.

Right now a part of him wished he wasn't.

That too was normal, the body, the mind didn't like pain, but pain could be overcome to a point and worked through. Had to be worked through, he had a threat to his ship and a threat to his crew to be dealt with.

He would have to see to the assassin, ensure he would not be getting up any time soon, one way or the other, then he would have to make his way to his ship and too his crew.

And he would just have to manage it despite the pain.

Despite having only one functioning arm.

* * *

"Honourless dogs!" Mokh glared at the viewscreen, hiding a wince as a _B'rel _ vanished, destroyed in an instant by a salvo from the massive pyramid shaped ship. He had heard tales of such power but he had not believed, more fool him.

Still, the move was smart, destroy the enemies ability to rebuild and repair and you had him on his knees, it was a tactic he had first learned on one of his Fathers rare appearances home.

It was not one he had ever expected to see used against his own people, and he certainly had not expected the sheer boldness of bypassing the bulk of the Empire and going straight for its heart.

It was a move that was almost Klingon in its execution.

He glowered as he saw a crippled _Vor'cha _ throw the only weapon it had left against the shields of the Goa'uld ship, but be destroyed before it could ram, mere debris showering the enemy vessel.

Still, it was large debris; it should certainly have some effect.

Oh, how he wished he could be out there now, fighting and dying like a true Klingon should!

But he couldn't, not now. His responsibility was the shipyard itself and when the enemy closed he would have an opportunity to fight and to die, this was a Klingon shipyard after all and as such, she was armed. Even with the enemy vessels being weakening by the rapidly dwindling defensive fleet, he didn't think he could stop the destruction of his station, stop the loss of this resource to the Empire.

A pity, it would be a failure that would mark his soul for all eternity but at least he could ensure he and all the warriors aboard the station sold their lives dearly, that way they may at least still be allowed into the Halls of the Warriors at Sto'vo'kor.

"A new ship approaches!"

He glanced up and grimaced as a third of the loathsome warships dropped out of the strange hyperspace portals so alien to a culture that relied on warp. There went any chance at all off survival, now there would only be death.

So be it!

The new vessel opened fire and Mokh frowned as the bolts shot straight past a _K't'inga _, impacting upon the shields of one of its allies. Bad shooting that, it wouldn't save his station though.

A second salvo and he rose slowly from his seat, puzzled, confused and more then a little wary.

"We are being hailed!"

"Who hails us?"

"The new _Ha'tak." _

It could not be… yet maybe it could.

He sat back down, his finger stabbing angrily at the controls on his chair, then a face appeared on his screen and in that instant, he knew that maybe, just maybe he wouldn't have to die after all.

Not today anyway.

* * *

Osiris raged.

How they had done it, she did not know.

No, she did know, they were human, they did it with luck, skill and above all else a resilience and determination that would put the Gods themselves to shame and frequently had.

They were the devils themselves and like all devils, they needed to be killed or brought to heel. The second, dangerous, the first preferable or would be if it wasn't for that fact that they were needed as hosts. True, there were many other species in this place that may do but she wasn't going to risk herself and be the first to try it!

Still, given the vastness of space, they should not have been able to find this place, should not have been able to land undetected, to get into her shipyard…

And above all else, they should not have been able to plant their explosives.

They had been aided, they had to have been.

It was a given that there was a Free Jaffa spy amongst her crew, nowadays, there always was, the hard part was tracking down the rat and she could not afford to get it wrong, she did not have Jaffa to spare.

That rat had cost her too much, all her new construction, some two thousand slaves and another two hundred Jaffa , all wasted.

The rat… or rats would have to die but she would need to find them first and at the same time she needed to find a new hiding place and do something to slow the pursuit.

Perhaps, to use one of her host's phrases, it was time for the kid gloves to come off.

Yes, that had appeal; the alliance against her was being led by the humans, if they were taken out of the game…

Of course, that hadn't worked last time but last time she had only sent two ships. Perhaps it was time to pull out all the stops. When her fleet returned from Klingon space she would evacuate this place and on her way to her new home she would pay the humans a visit personally.

If her pawns hadn't already done the job for her that was.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Twelve_**

"The mission was a success?"

"Very much so," Picard replied his expression grim but satisfied, "the original mission parameters were simply to disrupt Osiris's attempts to rebuild and retrieve a _Ha'tak _ for technical analysis. The fact that she also lost a pair of ships in the process is a bonus, as is the fact that we have a Jaffa crew willing to assist with out analysis."

"The Klingons lost a lot of ships in the raid," Ewing noted.

"I know," came the quiet reply, "but they didn't lose the shipyard and that is significant in itself."

Ewing reached forward with his right hand to grab the cup of water on the small table in front of him then grimaced, dropping the stub to his side and reaching forward with his left instead. Picard caught the move and looked momentarily uncomfortable.

"How long?"

The Tau'ri Captain sighed, "A week to create a replacement arm, then a month minimum before I can use it as well as the original."

"I see," grimly, he noted, "the Doctors have had a lot of experience with replacing lost limbs over the past few years."

"Not a comfort,"

Picard opened his mouth as if to speak then closed it with a nod of reluctant agreement.

"Still," Ewing shrugged, "how does it feel to have authorised your first terrorist operation?"

Picard stilled, "what?"

"You just authorised the bombing of targets in the proximity of civilians in the domain of another government," he sighed, his expression dark, "sometimes necessary but… well, I just hope the damage was enough to justify it. I would make sure you have plans in place to go in and rebuild the damage once this is over."

"Quite," came the equally grim reply, "and if I hadn't thought it necessary, I wouldn't have ordered it in the first place. Unfortunately, none of the allied fleets are in any position to begin a prolonged campaign. If Osiris is allowed to rebuild…"

"That is not an immediate threat," Ewing noted, "not so long as we manage to keep track of her but still, that is not my main concern at the moment."

"Oh?"

"We've proven to be too much of a threat to her and she still has three _Ha'taks _and worse, a _Rel'tac _ to play with. She may flee again… but I suspect not."

"Cornered rat."

"Not quite," Ewing shook his head, gazing at the stars outside the windows for a moment, "at this point a direct attack would appeal to Osiris on several levels. It would greatly reduce the allies as a threat, count as both warning and punishment for going against her and force us to divert resources to rebuilding."

"Earth?"

"Quite possibly but not guaranteed. My gut says she's going to attack now though and that it will be with her full strength."

Picard considered this then leaned backwards in his seat, displeased, "the analysis of the captured _Ha'tak _ had barely begun, we can't expect much from that source yet. Fighting the smaller ships has been bad enough, but if she shows up with the _Rel'tac… _"

"I can't offer much advice on fighting such a ship either," Ewing admitted, "generally, we only engage _Ha'taks. _ The few times we have engaged the Goa'uld capital ships, we have lost vessels of our own in the process but such fights have been few and far between."

"Our projections…" Picard paused, looking uncomfortable, "if they do hit Earth in full strength… We're not going to be able to gather enough force to destroy her before the Earth is rendered uninhabitable."

"I know," he looked away from the stars, gazing back on the form of Picard in the monitor opposite once more, "during the assault on Edonia, Maktenos and Anubis were observed fighting in the skies over the world we now know as Ragnarok. Between them they lost over three hundred warships, most of them _Ha'taks. _"

"My God," Picard, "how many thousand aboard each ship?"

"Usually two," Ewing noted "and Anubis had the surviving crews purged for failing him. We've lived and fought for years with the knowledge that if any of our enemies made a series attempt to destroy us form space we would be lost. There are a number of facilities created around that very fear."

"Well," the other Captain pulled himself back together, "it's not a fate I'm willing to accept, not for Earth or any other world."

"When the _Indefatigable _ is back online we will be able to help," he looked at Picard directly, "but we're not much of a threat to a _Rel'tac. _Frankly, a single full strength salvo would be enough to end the _Indefatigable. _"

"We're well aware of that and what it means for our fleet," Picard noted.

"So," Ewing caught Picard's eyes and held them, "we can not allow this to develop into a fleet action."

Picard considered this and then nodded, "You have a plan."

"Yes,"

"I'm on my way."


	13. Chapter 13

**_Thirteen_**

Osiris hid a tight grimace as the battered Jaffa reported over the Vo'cume.

A rebellion aboard one of her ships, not just the slaves but some of her Jaffa warriors turning against their master. The loss of the other two _Ha'taks _ before her forces could regain control but a mission completed, the shipyard destroyed.

And better still, they had captured not one but three of the enemies ships in the process. The loss of two _Ha'taks _ was… regrettable but the new prizes would more then make up for that. Pity she could not use Nish'ta on the surviving crews and put them to use directly in her service but the risk of an unintended electrical shock was too high.

Still, if she used Nish'ta on them anyway just to get some of their secrets… it was worth the attempt. It hadn't succeeded with many of the crew of the Earther warships she had captured previously; it appeared they had had the foresight to train them to resist mind control but there were always some who were even weaker then the rest of the cattle.

Still, that was a task for another time. Right now she had more important matters to consider, such as the punishment of her enemies. She was a God, it was time for her to stop skulking and hiding and make her enemies understand who was truly the superior!

And this Tec'on had proved himself worthy. He might make a good first prime…

Still, something about his story didn't quite fit with her; nevertheless… she would interrogate him personally. If nothing was amiss, then she had use for one such as him.

Carefully cultivating a displeased glare, she ordered him to report to her as soon as he returned. It would be best for him not to know that he had pleased her, not yet anyway.

* * *

"She believes,"

"She has to if this is to work," Dukes commented, "her arrogance will help us in this."

"I'm not sure I approve of this plan," Tec'on replied, grimacing as he moved. The best would to make his bruises and cuts real was to make them real. That had hurt and would continue to hurt even with a Jaffa 's enhanced healing for some time.

Still, there were worse things.

"We can not afford a straight up fight with that _Rel'tac, _" she replied swiftly, "I am no Captain but even I know that. Her four surviving _Ha'taks _ will be an issue, but if we take out the big bastard, then it may be manageable. As long as that thing still threatens us…."

He sighed, "I agree with that, but this… this borders on the dishonourable."

"It'll work," she shrugged, "we've used similar tactics before. Still, the risk is high."

Tec'on nodded, gazing upon the small figure fondly, "There is a human expression which would appear to apply, 'risk is our business'."

"True," Dukes laughed, "but this is not as risky as allowing her to continue to act freely."

"There are Free Jaffa still aboard that ship,"

"I know," she replied softly, "but if warn them, we risk the entire mission being blown."

"I agree but their deaths should be more honourable then at the hands of their own allies,"

"It is inevitable that Osiris knows of a few of the spies," Dukes replied, "we warn them then potentially we warn her and risk walking straight into her ambush not ours."

"Then they die," he shook his head, "still, it is regrettable."

"Yes," she replied quietly, "it is."

* * *

Osiris shuddered as the _Ha'tak _ slowly approached her ship, the battered shapes of several ships of her enemies tractored to her sides, and she didn't know why. Didn't know why her host was suddenly exultant, didn't know where this strange feeling of dread had come from.

Still, she knew enough to worry and she ordered the shields to remain raised.

Except of course for the critical moment when Tec'on had to beam aboard to report, but that would only require one single sections of shields be compromised for a moment. There should be no risk in that; even if the enemy ship had been turned they couldn't transport enough warriors across to be a threat before the connection could be blocked.

She glared darkly at the rings, knowing it would be mere moments before her Warrior appeared and maybe then she would have the answers she sought.

The rings arose and fear and horror filled Osiris for a moment as an unfamiliar but still unmistakable shape took form in front of her. She slammed her hand down on her hand device, activating her personal shield but she knew with dread that it would not be enough.

The _Enterprise _ shook and Picard his head swiftly away form the viewscreen as just for a moment it flared a brilliant white then faded into blackness. A mere second later, the display flickered across towards a tactical readout, and he grimaced as he watched the _Challenger _ disappear from the screen as swiftly as she separated from the _Ha'tak. _

It said a lot about the sheer size of the _Rel'tac _ that a piece of debris not even a percentage point of the size of the massive ship was enough to wipe out a _Galaxy _ class ship in a moment he considered even as he ordered his own ship into action.

Mere moments later, a _Ha'tak _died, victim of a tri-cobalt device from the _Sovereign _herself. That the _Ha'tak _ appeared to have been under repair was irrelevant. Even damaged, it was an unacceptable threat and a quick kill increased their own chances for survival.

He would have to thank the _Sovereigns _ captain later, assuming they survived this.

"The last vessel is clear!"

"Then raise shields," Tec'on replied, his expression grim as he watched the death and destruction all around him, "and fire as she bears!"

"You did learn much," Dukes noted, "that's not a Jaffa expression."

"No," he smiled grimly, "it's not, but it has its place."

"My Lord, three _Ha'taks _ remain."

"Good," Dukes sighed, "but this isn't going to be easy. I suggest we get the enemy to concentrate their attacks on us. We can not be destroyed with a single solid hit like the allied warships can."

"Agreed," Tec'on replied, his hands darting over the controls, "but even we can not withstand the fire of three _Ha'taks _ indefinitely."

"Maybe not," Dukes replied, "but consider this. At least only one of those vessels is from our universe. The two others are inferior."

"Indeed," he replied with a smirk, "then they should be the quicker kills."

"They have raised their shields," Date noted calmly and Picard bit back a curse.

He had been hoping to have at least crippled another ship before they reacted. It appeared that wasn't to be however. They had at least damaged all three ships, which had to at least count for something.

The ship rocked underneath him and Picard winced as the shield indicators dropped eighteen percent in an instant. That was a _hit. _ Still, at least they had the shields the Tau'ri had fitted aboard the _Enterprise _ and not the standard shields; that would not have been pleasant.

The ship rumbled again and then again, "Evasive, pattern Picard-Omega-Five!"

"The enemy ships are concentrating fire on us and the allied _Ha'tak. _"

He hid a grimace at Data's words. The enemy had picked up that these were the two ships that could potentially withstand their fire and had labelled them the biggest threats accordingly.

So, they would be the bait, the distraction. So be it, "Keep their attention!"

* * *

Dukes felt her heart die a little as in front of her eyes, a Klingon _Vor'cha _ shattered, not deliberately targeted by the enemy, it had just happened to get between them and the main target.

Which, she had to admit to herself, appeared to be the ship she was now on. Sure they didn't seem to like the _Enterprise _ much but it was they who were copping a lot of the heat.

It did mean that the allied vessels were only being fired upon by weapons that could not bear on her of the _Enterprise _ though, and that was the goal.

Then she felt her heart jump as fire blossomed suddenly from a _Ha'tak _ and not from a location that had been fired upon. Internal fires… that ship was still a threat, but if they could not get those fires under control that target would deal with itself.

Distracted for a moment, it was less of a threat.

She turned on Tec'on, ready to suggest he shift fire away but the words died in her throat as she watched him turn every weapon he had upon the cripple.

Like a predator sensing weakness in the prey was the thought that filled her head for a moment.

It appeared he wasn't the only one so inclined as phase-plasma torpedoes from not less then twelve starships joined Tec'ons salvo. The enemy ships shields flickered then in a moment the ship was gone. No explosion, no breaking up, no explosive outpouring of debris, just simply gone.

But its final salvo, vengefully, desperately took the stern straight off a _Galor _ and blew straight through a _Sabre _ killing its escorting _Peregrine _ as well.

"Then there were two," she quietly noted.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Fourteen_**

Picard closed his heart as he slowly watched icons disappear from the display. There would be a time and a place for mourning their dead, but it wasn't now. Now, there was just the mission.

A mission they would be lucky to survive.

He watched a _K'tinga _ attempt to ram the last remaining of Osiris's new build ships but be shattered by weapons fire before it could impact. He watched the shields of the captured _Ha'tak _ falter for a moment and nearly a quarter of her weapons be destroyed before the ship could rotate and present an intact shield towards the enemy.

The watched as the enemies fighters actively sought out and destroyed the allies escape pods. And all the while, he kept his ship in the fire.

* * *

Tec'on didn't spare a glance at Dukes as much as he would like to. He had his duty and that duty was exactly what he chose it to be; the destruction of the false Gods.

Today, one more of the false ones would die. But they would die in the name of a plucky Tau'ri Warrant Officer who would never again grace him with her smile. He triggered the ships weapons again, catching not one or even two _Al-kesh _ but three in a single salvo.

That was enough to bring a glint to his eyes, a grim glint. It wasn't enough of a vengeance, but it was certainly a start.

* * *

"We've lost the port shields! Forward shields at twenty percent!"

"Maintain evasive! Try and keep our starboard to the enemy!" he commanded.

The ship shook and then shuddered, a tortured groan being more felt then heard.

"We've lost the starboard shield and nacelle! Structural integrity alarm on port nacelle! Hull breech in main engineering!"

"Merde!" he whispered as he gazed upon the ships status displayed on the readouts around him and with a sinking heart, he knew that it was over.

Again.

It was on the tip of his tongue to order the _Enterprise _ abandoned when the battle shifted once more.

* * *

His expression satisfied, Ewing 's eyes didn't leave the screen as the _Indefatigable _ dropped out of hyperspace, a _Ha'tak _ directly in front of him. He didn't know which one and for now, he didn't care. It was a valid target and it was in range and perfectly positioned.

He would have to thank his navigator later, for now…

"Alpha Strike!"

Tec'on felt his eyes widen, he had thought the _Indefatigable _ would not be ready for some time, he had been told…

Ahh.

A secret you do not know you can not ever tell, clever.

He doubted the enemy would appreciate it though. With a swift manipulation of the Pel'tac controls in front of him, he added his own fire to that of the destroyer.

Two minutes later he smiled, just for a moment as the target went completely dead, not just the weapons and shields but the exterior lights as well. Then the final salvo impacted and the ship fell apart at the seams.

He turned his head towards his fallen friend for the first time and gave her a nod that said, all too clearly, that one was for you.

"The enemy _Ha'tak _ is attempting to flee,"

Ewing smiled darkly, "let them."

It got him an odd look from his crew, a look that disappeared mere moments later disappeared as five ships appeared in the direct path of the enemy vessel, three Romulan _D'deridix _'s, a Klingon _Negh'var _and a Federation _Defiant. _

"Bring us in on their six," Ewing commanded, "maintain fire. Order the _Ha'tak _ back to lick there own wounds and cover the _Enterprise __. _ We'll finish this bastard off here and now."

"Captain, they're attempting to enter hyperspace!"

"Belay my last," he rose forward in his seat in an instant, "all ships, bring all weapons to bear, we can not allow that ship to escape! Helm, maximum military power now! We'll follow them into hyperspace if we have too."

The weapons fire from the _Ha'tak _ died and with a puzzled frown, Ewing gazed upon the sensor readings, his eyes then widening in pleased recognition, "they don't have the power."

"The _Enterprise _ is hailing them!"

"What?" he turned around startled.

* * *

"The False God Osiris is dead," Picard held the eyes of the Jaffa warrior on the screen in front of him, knowing it would not be he that blinked, "with it, her _Rel'tac _ and every other vessel in her fleet. Only yon know remain and you do not have the power to escape without diverting energy from your shields."

He paused and then quietly, resolutely, "and the instant you divert that power our fleet will kill you. You will not be given the opportunity to escape, of that I can assure you."

"Disengage your hyperspace drives," he commanded quietly, "order the surviving _Al-kesh _ to stand down and then lower your shields and surrender."

There was a moment then Picard released a relieved sigh as the Jaffa blinked.

They would surrender, they had too.

"Death before dishonour!"

He glanced up shocked as the Jaffa disappeared from the screen, and then he glanced towards the tactical display on his screen at the _Ha'tak _ and at the _Indefatigable, _ still racing to intercept.

He watched aghast as the _Ha'tak _ diverted all its energy not to its drives, but to its weapons.

Watched as, in the instant of its demise, the _Ha'tak _ fired its last salvo. A salvo fired with the weapons safeties apparently disabled; a salvo that caught the frantically evasive destroyer dead centre of the starboard hull.

Watched as two new Suns lit up the black of space for a moment.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Fifteen_**

"What do we do now?" Picard noted, his eyes pained as he gazed across space towards the batter shape of his _Enterprise _ where it lay crippled inside of spacedock and not for the first time either.

"The Goa'uld threat…" Travers sighed, "For the moment it's contained but the after effects, those we will be dealing with for some time. The technologies the _Ha'tak _ represents…"

"Analysis will take some time," Picard noted, "but it will be an issue. The Romulans, the Klingons, even the Cardassians have claims on the technology that vessel contains and not without some validity. We've all taken losses we can't really afford in this incident as well, yet that one ship may trigger another war."

"True, if one group were to have access to those technologies it would give them a major lead against the others," came the reply, "that is not calculating in the _Indefatigable _ survivors and your own records from your little trip down the rabbit hole either. We have already had a number of 'requests' from the Romulans for the Jaffa and Tau'ri to be transferred to their custody."

"I hope you have no intention of allowing that," Picard noted.

Travers shrugged, "they are not in our custody despite what the Romulans might think. If they chose to cross the border, we'll certainly have a word with them first but we can do little more then that."

This was considered for a moment, "I do not see that happening,"

"No," came the quiet reply, "and in that maybe I was a bit unfair to Captain Ewing. I certainly made it clear to him how much I distrusted him, his people and his motivations."

"His motivations were simple," Picard noted, "motivations which I would like to think we shared to an extent. It was his duty to see the reduce the threat of the Goa'ulds to Earth and an Osiris bolstered by the technologies and recorces of another universe was not something to be lightly risked."

"That was his primary motivation certainly, but what of his secondary?"

"Acquiring technologies for their military," he shot the Admiral a glance, "a mission I can understand and even condone to a point."

Travers considered this for a moment, "Perhaps. But we still have to consider what to do about the gateway and the survivors."

"There is little we can do with the gateway," Picard frowned, his eyes tracking a small tug as it pulled the wreck of the port nacelle away from the rear of his ship, "except study it and make preparations to respond should the Goa'uld come through it again or should a foreign power attempt to seize it for their own ends. We certainly cant risk destroying it."

"The theory that destroying the gate incorrectly may destroy this and potentially other universes as well is a little far fetched,"

"But still a possibility and one we can not afford to ignore," he chided his superior, "we do not know enough to risk it."

Travers considered this for a moment then had to chuckle, "the irony of it all!"

"Oh?"

"Worried about a gateway, the technology, the hope and power it represents but also the threat and the fear. Scared to say no but equally scared to say yes and all the time worried about what the neighbours will think… remind you of anyone?"

The Captain shot an amused but agreeing look back over his shoulder towards the Admiral, "indeed. Perhaps we are not so different from the Tau'ri after all. But there is a particular one of those neighbours I am concerned with."

"The Borg,"

"The Borg with Goa'uld derived shields and weapons…"

Travers shuddered at that, "and yet, those same shields and weapons represent our greatest hope against the Borg."

"Once they are understood and can be improved upon," he turned back towards the window, "for whilst they have great power they don't have much versatility. In time, I have little doubt we can figure out a defence against them should the Goa'uld arrive again."

"The Goa'uld are contained behind the Intergate for the moment, but they're merely self contained by a lack of interest. If they decide more trips are worthy…"

"The Tau'ri will try and stop them,"

"And against a determined assault they will fail. What we need is at least some form of open communications with the Tau'ri so that, at the very least, that installation of theirs can act as a tripwire for us."

Picard frowned but had to admit one truth to himself, the station they had moved into Edonia may well fail as a tripwire. The weapons of the enemy could simply overwhelm the station before it could sound its warning.

Not a pleasant thought in itself. More warning was certainly necessary.

"The Romulans are talking of constructing a cloaked array around Edonia."

"That's Federation space," He noted sharply.

"And still, we may well allow it so long as we are certain that we will be receiving the complete and unedited take from the array. They are a lot of people scared Captain."

"Quite," Picard noted, "and to be frank, I'm one of them, but we don't just have the Goa'uld, the Borg or even our allies to worry about. There is also the Breen."

"The Klingons are talking about raiding Breen space," Travers replied quietly, "destroying their shipbuilding infrastructure as 'punishment'."

The Captain frowned, "I'm not sure I approve, but something certainly has to be done. We know for definite know that they are going to continue to be an active threat and yet, even if we had the will, I don't think between all the Allies we could muster the strength to occupy their space and maintain our other commitments, not now.

And there is one big question still to be answered, how did Osiris buy their assistance?"

"Intelligence believes it wasn't through money,"

"No," Picard replied, "one thing she didn't have was resources to trade, technologies on the other hand…"

"That is the conclusion Intel is coming to as well," Travers noted, "and if it was technology she gave them, it will take them time to analyse and start to incorporate into their ships just like us, but they are far more likely to become aggressive with those technologies."

"The Intergate, the Breen, the Goa'uld, the Borg…" Picard noted somewhat wryly, "there may be a very Chinese curse on us."

"Maybe, but do not forget the Jaffa or the Tau'ri either, that is an issue we still need to discuss."

"We?"

"You have had the most experience with the Tau'ri," Travers noted, "Do you think they could be persuaded to join Starfleet?"

Picard turned fully away from the window at that, his expression surprised, questioning and wary, "Part of their mission in coming to this universe was to obtain technologies to better defend their Earth. Whilst I have no doubt a small few would simply wish to retire now, there are a few, Warrant Officer Dukes for instance, who would join with the intent of returning to the Tau'ri as soon as the opportunity became available, taking what she learnt with her."

"And if part of what she learns is of the dream of Starfleet?"

Picard shook his head, mildly incredulous, "you intend to convert the Tau'ri?"

"Yes and no," Travers noted quietly, "It may well be years before the Intergate opens again, before the _Indefatigable _ survivors can return and before we can get our own _Valiant _ back. When we do send them back, if they take some of the knowledge of how to deal with others species, how to bridge gaps between races…"

Picard smiled as the Admiral shook his head, not entirely sure how to say what he meant, "you may have a point, but they will take more then ideas with them, they will take technology."

"That will simply ensure they have an audience,"

"And I thought you didn't trust the Tau'ri."

"I don't, not as a people. But there are individuals and from individuals a nation can be changed."

This Picard considered a moment then he shrugged, turning back towards the window, his eyes tracking across his maimed ship once more.

"These are the voyages…" he murmured softly as Travers walked quietly out of the room.

* * *

The end of Discontinuity... for now.


End file.
